3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were 6-2 through the first half of the season and had put themselves on pace for about 11 or 12 wins this year, but the entire operation regressed, and the injuries continued to pile up. Todd Bowles came under fire a lot this year but appears to be getting another shot, and I do believe that is the right move. The NFC South also appears to be wide open, and it's been the Bucs that have otherwise owned the division.
Simply getting healthier and not enduring so many notable injuries could allow the Buccaneers to squeak out another win or two, so this team putting a 10-7 record on the books in 2026 and getting back into the playoffs is likely.
2. Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens began the 2025 NFL Season 1-5. If this team began 3-3 or 4-2, we'd be talking about them being in the playoffs right now. With John Harbaugh now out of the picture, a fresh voice and getting healthier could really put the Ravens back on the map.
On paper, this team is among the best in the NFL, and I am not sure a single person would be surprised to see this team back in the playoffs in 2026. The AFC North also appears to be a bit dysfunctional, and this team does still have Lamar Jackson, who is easily the best player in the world at times.
1. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions finished with a positive point differential and were 7-4 at one point in 2025. The team endured a brutal stretch to end the year, and were again plagued with injuries on the defensive side of the ball. GM Brad Holmes has built a juggernaut of a roster, but the secondary in particular has not been able to stay healthy.
And I hate to sound like a broken record, but the Lions' chances at getting back into the playoffs really could come down to players not getting hurt. Some of the injuries we've seen from teams on this list were too much to recover from.
Detroit still ended up winning 24 regular season games over the past two seasons, so this team knows how to win and will get back into the playoffs in 2026.